Supporting frame for sewing machines having interchangeable sewing heads



Aug. 12, 1930. N. v. CHRI STENSEN ET AL 1,773,023 SUPPORTING FRAME FOR SEWING MACHINES HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE SEWING HEADS Filed Aug. 19. 1926 6 Sheets$heet Aug. 12, 1930. N. v. CHRISTENSEN ET AL 1,773,028

SUPPORTING FRAME FOR SEWING MACHINES HAVING INTERCHANGEBLE SEWING HEADS Filed Aug. 19. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 W gwuentou A g- 1930- N. v. CHRISTENSEN Er AL I 1,773,023

SUPPORTING FRAME FOR SEWING MACHINES HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE SEWING HEADS Filed Aug. 19, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 12, 1930. N. v. CHRISTENEN ET AL I 1,773,028 SUPPORTING FRAME FOR SEWING MACHINES HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE SEWING HEADS Filed Aug. 19. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 #14111: n I J7 Illllllllllllll j nnmnmm 7 73 E 9L5 4 A)! 17 M iiwi lh u 029 IWIIIE' 6d IHIIIIIIHI Jill Aug. 12, 1930. N. v. CHRISTENSEN ET AL 1,773,028

SUPPORTING FRAME FOR SEWING MACHINES HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE SEWING HEADS Filed Aug. 19. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 12, 1930- I N. v. CHRISTENSEN ET AL 1,773,028

SUPPORTING FRAME FO R SEWING MACHTNES HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE SEWING HEADS F'iled Aug. 19. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Aug. 12, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NORMAN v. onnrsrnnsnn AND WALTER M. HANNEMAN, or CHICAGO, rumors SUPPORTING FRAME FOR SEVING MACHINES HAVING INTERGI-IANGEABLE SEWING HEADS Application filed August 19,1926. Serial No. 130,194.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a supporting frame for a sewingmachine, and more particularly to the means for. supporting the sewing head.

An object of the invention is to provide a supporting frame for sewing machines on Which interchangeable heads may be mounted so that the same supporting frame may be used for building sewing machines having cooperating elements for a different character of sewing, as for example, a sewing machine for felling may be built on the same supporting frame as a sewing machine for flat seam work in connection with knit goods.

A further object of the invention-is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the operating parts of the sewing machine are mounted on said supporting frame so that the Work supporting arm is suspended in order to aid in the stitching of garments having tubular parts. A further object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine of the above type wherein all the operating parts in the sewing head are actuated from' a single eccentric member on the main shaft which is mounted in the supporting frame. I

A still further object of the invention is toprovide a supporting frame of theabove type having a detachable sewing head in which are mounted trimming devices, a reciprocating needle bar, and cross thread laying devices, all of which are actuated by a single lever connection with an eccentric member on the main shaft. 7

These and other objects will in part be ohvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention I Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying the improvements Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine look- 4:- ing toward the end of the work supporting arm;

Fig. 3 isa vertical sectional view through the machine, and'a portion of the supporting frame showing the manner of detachably se- .50 curing the head to the supporting frame, the

head shown in said figure containing a needle bar as the only'operated part;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View through the frame showing a detachable needle head in side view, which needle head is equipped with a needle bar carrying a plurality of needles, a movable trimming blade, and cross thread laying devices;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view at right angles to the main shaft, said section passing between the needle bar and the ing shaft' for the lever which actuates the parts in the needle head as illustratedin Figures 5 to 8, inclusive.

The invention is directed to a sewing machine frame, and more particularly to a sewing machine frame in which ismounted a main operating shaft, whichoshaft is provided with an eccentric member adjacent one end thereof. The supporting frame consists of a base portion and an upwardly and laterally extending supporting member, near the upper end of which the main shaft is located. Said supporting frame is provided with an integral projecting, substantially horizontal portion which is adapted to support the needle head. Mounted in thisprojecting portion is a lever which is connected by suitable means to the eccentric member on the main shaft, and thus the lever is oscillated. De-

for formingtwo independent lines of stitching such as are used in felling or the like. In either case, the operating parts of the needle head are actuated by a single lever con nection to the main operating shaft. The supporting frame also has a depending mem ber directly beneath the main operating shaft, at the opposite end of the shaft from the eccentric member which carries the work supporting arm, and this work supporting arm terminates beneath the needle head. The work supporting arm carries a feeding mechanism and a complemental stitch forming mechanism, and of course, the work supporting arm will be supplied with the proper cooperating elements to co-act with the selected needle head for building up the machine desired.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,

the invention consists in a supporting frame consisting of a base portion 1 having an upwardly and laterally extending part 2, which, as shown in the present embodiment of the invention, terminates at its upper outer end 7 in a horizontally extending housing 3. The

main shaft 4 is journaled in this housing 3 and extends lengthwise thereof. It will be understood, of course, that from certain aspects of the invention, a' different manner of sup orting the main shaft may be provided at t e upper outer end of'the supporting member 2, The main shaft 4 is provided with a crank 5 which is located near one end of the main shaft. I At the end of the supporting frame adjacent said eccentric member on the main shaft, there is a substantially horizontal, laterallyprojecting portion 6. This projecting portion is formed integral with the main supportin member 2, and may be cast therewith. Sai laterally projecting member 6 is hollow and is provided with a cross bar or lug 7, at the top side thereof, and with a cross bar or lug7 at the bottom side of said projecting member. Said bars or lugs are 10- cated at the outer end of said laterally projecting portion (see Fig. 6). The laterally projecting portion 6 is also provided wit supporting means 8 for a bushing 9 in which is mounted a shaft 10. This shaft 10 carries a lever 11 which is preferably fixed thereto, and the lever 11 is connected by a link 12 with the crank 5 on the main shaft. When the main shaft rotates, the lever 11 will be oscillated, and the shaft 10 supporting the lever will also oscillate on its supporting bearings. "Mounted on this laterally projecting portion are interchangeable needleheads. As

shown in the drawings, one of these needle heads is provided with a reciprocating needle bar only, while the other needle head is provided with not only a reciprocating needle bar, but with a movable trimming blade, and also movable cross thread laying fingers. In Fig. 3 of the drawings, the needle head which is indicated at 13, carries a needle bar 14, and the needle bar 14 is reciprocated by the lever 11 through a link connection 15. This needle head is particularly constructed for building a sewing machine wherein the stitching mechanism is adapted IOr producing independent rows of stitching. In this case, it is only necessary to use a single needle or plurality of needles, so far as the needle head is concerned, and the necessary parts for controlling the needle threads. This is the type of machine which has been built and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. 'The needle bar 14 is shown as having two needles 16 and 17. The needle head is provided with a presser foot 18 mounted on a presser bar 19. This presser bar is moved downward by a suitable spring so as to hold the material against the work supporting arm 20 and the feedingdevice mounted therein. The work supporting arm 20 for all types of machines built onthe supporting frame, is carried by a depending member 21. The main operating shaft 4 extends across the upper end of the supporting frame 2, and the depending member 21 is directly beneath the end of the operating shaft opposite the end carrying the eccentric member which operates the needle bar. Connections from the main operating shaft 4 extend down through said depending member 21 and thence along the work supporting arm 20. Themachine built up by the use of this needle head 13 is of the type shown in detail in the application of Norman V. Christensen, and Harold J. Le Vesconte, filed February 16,

1925, Serial No. 9,584, and no claim is made herein to the particular construction of support for the work supporting arm and the operating mechanism therein.

The needle head 13 is provided with a cross bar or lug 22, cooperating with the cross bar, or lug 7, and also a cross bar or lug 23 for the cross bar or lug 7. These lugs 22 and 23 are counter-bored so that suitable screws 24 may be used for securing the lug 22 to the lugs 7 and the lug23 to the lugs 7. Thus it is that the detachable needle head 13 is se cured to the main supporting frame. The presser bar 19 is adapted to be raised by a rock lever 25 secured by a bracket 26 attached to the main supporting frame 2. This rock lever 25 is adapted to be operated by a treadle or knee shift and is connected by a link 27 to a rock lever 28 which is pivoted in the needle head. Said rock lever 28 is provided with a laterally projecting arm 29 Which engages beneath a pin 30 carried by a collar 31 clamped to the presser bar 19. A suitable leaf spring 32 is provided for depressing the presser bar. The bracket- 26 is one of the brackets which support the bar 33 on which are mounted suitable tensions 34 for the stitching threads. The main operating shaft is rotated by a belt wheel 35 mounted on the end of the shaft adjacent the eccentric member or crank 5.

' .verticalbar which trimming blade When it is desired to detach the needle head 13. all that is necessary is to disconnect the link 27 from the rock shaft to which it is connected, remove the spring 82 and disconnect the operating lever 11 from the link 15; The lever 11 remains as a part of the elements which are permanently mounted on'the main supporting frame 2. An interchangeable head may be substituted for the head 13 for producing flat seams in knit materiahand such a" needle head is shown in Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive. Said needlehead is indicated at 86. The needle head is provided with lugs 22 and 23 similar to the lugs on the needle head 18, and these lugs are securedto the main supporting frame by screws 2% as above described The needle head is provided with a needle bar 3? and'this needle bar 87 is connected to the lever 11 of the main supporting frame by a link 15, similar to the link used in the needle head 13. The needle bar 3'? is provided with three needles 38, 38. 38. Cooperating with the needles 38 are cross thread. laying fingers 39 and 4-0. .It is desirable to trim the edges of the fabric which are brought down into abutted or overlapped relation prior to the stitching the edges together to forr' the flat seam. Such a type ofseaming mechanism is very common in the art. It includes a stationary trimming blade mounted on the prcsser foot and a movable trimming blade co therewith. The needle here 36 is rovided ith a m :vable trimming blade d1: The pr" 5r bar of the needlehead 38 is indicated 42. The presser foot is removed fromthe machine in the drawings for th sake of clearness. This presscr bar 4-2 i. depressed by means a spring 43 ed by rock lever 4% connected to the 27 above described. This rock lever 4:4 er tends beneath a pin 45 on a collar 46 to the presser bar 42. Mounted to oscillate on the presser bar is a sleeve 47., A bracket 4:8 carrying a movable ll is fixed to this sleeve. A bracket 49 is fluedto the outer end of th sleeve 4;? and is provided with a ball stud 50 to which a link 51 is connected for oscillatthe sleeve on the p"esser bar. This sleeve *Il'? has a limited movement on the presser bar andis pressed downwardly by means of a spring 52. Tl e stationary member of the trimming mechanism is mounted on the presser, foot, and the spring 52 will yiel dingly press the movable blade 41 into engagement with the fixed blade on the foot. An arm 53 is secured to the presser bar 42 and this arm is forked so as to straddlea bearing on a performs 1 the double function ofan oscillating shaft for actuating; thctr mming blade and thecross thread laying fin ers, and also as guide for the presser bar t prevent d p barn om oscillating; in its bear r d vertical shaft 5% carries a'ball stud 5'5 and the link 51 is connected thereto. When the needle head 36 is selected in the buildingup ofthe machine, thena cross shaft 10 is selectedconstructed as shown in Fig. 9. I This crossshaft 10 carriesa disk56 on the outer end thereof beyond the outer face of the laterallyprojecting portion 6 of the main supportin frame. This disk 56 carries a ball stud cran 57 A link 58 cooperates with-said ball stud crank57. The link 58 is connected at its devices are threadcarrying'devices and are provided with suitable eyes for the cross threads. The cross thread laying device 39 is mountedon a lever 61. The lever is fulcrumed on a bracket'62. This'lever is oscillated by a link connecti0n-63 with an arm 64 on the vertical shaft 54. r The crossthread laying member 40 isfixed at its upper end to an arm 65 which is pivotally mounted in a bracket 66 supported by the needle head36- A link 67 is connected to this arm 65and oscillates the same on'its support. Said link is pivotally connected to an arm 68 carried by the vertical shaft 54. The link 67 is pivoted onthe same side ofthe axis of thearrn that thethread laying member 40 is secured to said arm, while the link-63 is pivoted to the leverfil at the opposite side of the axis from that supporting the thread'laying device 39. As a result, these threadlaying devices 89 and-4O move toward and away fromeach other, and thus lay their threads across the center of the 'seam'being formed.

It will be noted from the abovethat the cross centric member which oscillates the needle bar. In other words, in order to mount a needle head-of the type just described on a supporting frame'for building upa machine which willdo flat seaming in knitgoodsfit is only necessary to change the shaft, 10 and the lever 11 will actuate all the operating parts'in the needle head 36. Thus it is that the needle heads are interchangeable.

Of course, it willbe understood'that when the needle head is used for flat seam work. the feeding mechanism must be changed slightly and likewise the loopermechanism. The work supporting-arm 20 is'likewise capable ofbeing disconnected from the supporting frame and anotherv arm'may'be'subone - stituted therefor. This detachability of the work supporting arm forms no partof the present invention, but is shown, described and claimed in the application filed February 15, 1926, by Joseph Berger, Serial No.

I parent that there has been provided a suporting frame on which sewing heads may 0 interchangeably mounted for building up a machine for different characters of sewing. The supporting frame is precisely the same in both types of machine, therefore, these supporting frames can be produced in large lots, machined and prepared for use, and when the demand is greater for one type of machine than for the other, a proper supply of supporting frames may be carried in stock. Furthermore, if the demand exceeds the supply,a sewing machine of one character may be dismantled, that is, the sewing head removed therefrom, and the sup ortin frame used for building the type 0 machme demanded. Furthermore, it will benoted that in the type of supporting frame just described, there are comparatively few 7 angular parts, as the sewing head is separate from the supporting frame. This greatly aids in the casting of the parts.

While there have been shown overlapping sections or lugs for securing the detachable head to the main supporting frame, it will be understood, of course, that the particular manner of connecting the head to the suporting frame may be greatly modified. In act, connecting dowel pins may be used and laterally projecting ears formed on the parts to be united, through which suitable screws may be passed for joining the sections together.

It is obvious thatother changes in the details of construction ma be-made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-

1. A sewing machine including in combination, a supporting frame, a main shaft mounted on the upper portion thereof and having an eccentricmember adjacent one end, said frame having a substantially horizontal laterally projecting portion at the end of the main shaft having the eccentric member, and

means for interchangeably connecting sewing heads to said pro ecting portion and the operating parts in said heads to said eccentric member, said interchangeable heads having operating parts for cooperating in making diflerent seams whereby sewing machines .may be built on the same supporting frame for producing different sewed articles.

2. A sewingmachine including in combination, a supporting frame having a housing at the upper portion thereof, a main shaft journaled in said housing and extending lengthwise thereof, and having an eccentric member at one end thereof, said housing having a laterally projecting portion at the end of the main shaft having the eccentric member, and means for interchangeably connecting sewing heads to said projecting portion and the operating parts in said sewing heads to said eccentric member, said interchangeable heads having operating parts for cooperating in making different seams, whereby sewing machines may be built on the same supporting frame for producing different sewed articles.

3. A sewing machine including in combin ation, a supporting frame, a main shaft mounted in the upper portion thereof and having an eccentric member at one end thereof, said frame having a laterally projecting portion at the end of the main shaft having the eccentric member and having a depending portion at the other end of said shaft on which a work supporting arm is suspended, and means for interchangeably connecting sewing heads to said projecting portion of the frame and the operating parts in said sewing heads to said eccentric member, said interchangeable heads having operating parts for cooperating in making different seams whereby sewing machines may be built on the same supporting frame for producing difi'erent sewed articles.

4. A sewing machine including in combination, a supporting frame, a main shaft mounted in the upper portionthereof and having an eccentric member adjacent one end, said frame having a substantially horizontal laterally projecting portion at the end of the main shaft having the eccentric member, said laterally projecting portion extending substantially at right angles to the main shaft, and means for detachably connecting a sewing head to said projecting portion and the operating parts in said head to said eccentric member. I

5. A sewing machine including in combination, a supporting frame. a main shaft mounted on the upper portion thereof and having an eccentric member at one end, said frame having a substantially horizontal laterally projecting portion at the end of the main shaft having the eccentric member, a lever mechanism j ournaled in said projecting portion and connected to said eccentric member,

means for detachably connecting a sewing head to said projecting portion and the operating parts therein to said lever mechanism.

6. A sewing machine including in combination, a supporting frame having a horizontal housing at the upper edge thereof, said frame being curved so that said housing overhangs the frame, a main shaft journaled in said housing, said frame having a laterally projecting hollow portion at one end of said main shaft, and a depending portion at the other end of said main shaft, said depending portion carrying a work supporting arm which is suspended and spaced from said supporting frame, a lever mechanism in said laterally projecting portion on said frame, and means for detachably connecting a sewing head to said laterally projecting portion and for connecting the operating parts in said sewing head to said lever mechanism.

7 A sewing machine including in combination a supporting frame. a main shaft mounted on the upper portion thereof and having an eccentric member adjacent one end, means for interchangeably connecting sewing heads to said frame at one side of the main shaft and the operating parts in said heads to said eccentric member, said interchangeable heads having operating parts for cooperating in making different seams whereby sewing machines may be built on the same supporting frame for producing difi'erent sewed articles.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures. I

NORMAN V. CHRISTENSEN. WALTER M. HANNEMAN. 

